Local soccer club members contacted Shoalhaven Councillor Mitchell Pakes, concerned about how they were going to foot annual bills of up to $11,800.

“I spoke to a few presidents and members of these sporting groups and I was shocked at how large the bills were,” Councillor Pakes said.

Many clubs were invoiced bills around $7000 for winter use only, with one club copping a bill for $11,800.

Sporting club representatives indicated they were happy to pay a fee for lighting, at a more reasonable price.

At council’s Strategy and Assets committee meeting on Tuesday night Councillor Pakes was successful in moving an urgent motion to have the invoices withdrawn.

Councillors will also meet to be briefed on the current policy relating to fees and charges on sporting fields.

“I can’t believe we would do this to volunteer groups,” Said Councillor Pakes

“Not only are the bills almost seven months late but we have given these community groups only three weeks to pay them.

“This will send most of our smaller clubs broke and leave them with no choice but to fold.”

Many other concerns were also raised during the meeting around how council charged community groups.

It was made aware to councillors that due to an internal issue in council, Council had forgotten to invoice sporting groups for electricity use for 2015 and 2016.

“There are a lot of questions that need to be answered in my opinion,” Cr Pakes said.

“How does this happen?”